The present invention generally relates to computer apparatus, and more particularly relates to apparatus for creating and maintaining a desired alignment between portions of a computer chassis and an associated computer cover structure disposed over the chassis portions.
To provide for ready access to electronic components within its interior, a computer housing is typically formed from an open sheet metal chassis portion and a cover structure that slides rearwardly onto and closes the chassis portion. The installed cover structure is removably secured to the chassis portion by fastening members extending through openings disposed in facing rear portions of the chassis and cover, with a front end wall of the cover being in alignment with a front end portion of the chassis. In order to maintain the requisite relationship between the front end portions of the cover and chassis structures, some type of alignment structure is required at the front end of the chassis/cover interface.
In conventional computer housing design, this alignment structure typically comprises tab portions of the chassis which are bent forwardly, at ninety degrees, from the balance of the chassis and enter corresponding alignment slots in the front end wall of the cover structure. These bent flanges generally have rounded or chamfered edges to facilitate their entry into their associated cover structure alignment slots.
Two primary problems are typically associated with these bent flange and slot alignment structures. First, the flanges can be easily bent (during handling of the chassis) to the point that they no longer mate with their associated cover slots when the cover is subsequently attached to the chassis. Second, particularly in computer tower structures, the front cover wall provides a convenient lifting point for transporting the computer. Accordingly, the lifting force tends to be transferred, via the cover slot edges, to the chassis flanges in a manner tending to undesirably deform them away from their intended alignment orientations.
As can readily be seen from the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide improved computer chassis/cover alignment apparatus that eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems typically associated with conventional alignment apparatus of the type generally described above. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such improved alignment apparatus.